Helping Families Heal
By Lanie Berk, MS, Certified Child Life Specialist
As a Certified Child Life Specialist in the Cardiac ICU at Children’s National, every family teaches me something. Jack’s mom, Rachel, taught me about the power of finding something positive to focus on, even on the hardest days. She and Brandon found at least one thing to feel good about each day ― be it a small improvement for Jack or what they did to take care of themselves.
When I first met Jack, he had the best smile I’d ever seen. A huge team focused on care related to his heart transplant. I helped to manage his pain and things like making sure he got the rest he needed. I decorated his room to make it cheerful. But my primary focus was on Jack’s family and helping get them through this very difficult time.
I have always loved helping others. When I was 15, my best friend since kindergarten had a complex illness and a lot of hospital stays. Seeing her struggle and become completely dependent on other people and machines made me feel helpless. I thought a lot about what I could do to make her life better. I spent time with her in the hospital. We chatted, looked at magazines and made bracelets to pass the time — anything to help make her feel normal.
Later, as an adult, she told me what a big difference it made in helping her get through those hard times. In college, when I came across the Child Life specialist career path, memories of those times with my friend flooded back. I suddenly knew what I wanted to do with my education and my life. In the Cardiac ICU and all over the hospital, this kind of support truly helps families heal.
When I first met Jack, he had the best smile I’d ever seen. A huge team focused on care related to his heart transplant. I helped to manage his pain and things like making sure he got the rest he needed. I decorated his room to make it cheerful. But my primary focus was on Jack’s family and helping get them through this very difficult time.
I have always loved helping others. When I was 15, my best friend since kindergarten had a complex illness and a lot of hospital stays. Seeing her struggle and become completely dependent on other people and machines made me feel helpless. I thought a lot about what I could do to make her life better. I spent time with her in the hospital. We chatted, looked at magazines and made bracelets to pass the time — anything to help make her feel normal.
Later, as an adult, she told me what a big difference it made in helping her get through those hard times. In college, when I came across the Child Life specialist career path, memories of those times with my friend flooded back. I suddenly knew what I wanted to do with my education and my life. In the Cardiac ICU and all over the hospital, this kind of support truly helps families heal.
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